Collapsible horizontal ring luminaire



y 1957 w. L. LIPSCOMB 2,801,331

' COLLAPS IBLE HORIZONTAL RING LUMINAIRE Filed July 6, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILLIS L. LIPSCOMB COLLAPSIBLE HORIZONTAL RING LUMINAIRE Filed July 6, 195a Z SheetS-Sheet 2 s4 6 s4 s2 64 ea 68 64 68 e4 64 ea 68 68 48 74 6 Fig. 4

INVENTOR.

WILLIS 1.. LIPSCOMB AG INT: FOR APPLICANT United-States Patent- 2,801,331 COLLAPSIBLE HORIZONTAL RING LUMINAIIRE Willis L. Lipscomb, San Diego, Calif. Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,127

' 1' Claim. (Cl. 240-78) The present invention relates generally to lighting fix-' tures and more particularly to a collapsible horizontal ring luminaire.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a luminaire in which the lamp is shielded by a plurality of spaced horizontal rings flexibly interconnected in a novel manner, whereby the luminaire, in substantiallyassembled form, can be collapsed for shipment and storage.

- Another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire in which the horizontal rings shield the lamp from view, while allowing free circulation of air around the lamp. V

Another'object of this invention is to provide indirect or direct and indirect lighting as determined by the opacity or translucency of the material used in fabrication.

Another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire in which a panel is easily removable for access to the lamp.

Another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire which is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

Finally, it is an object to provide a luminaire of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to install, and which will give generally efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawings, and in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the luminaire.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, from below, of the luminaire.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the method of supporting the rings.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the luminaire.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the method of attaching the rings to the supports, in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a further modified form of the luminaire.

Referring now to the drawings, the luminaire comprises a plurality of substantially frusto-conical rings 10, 12, 14 and 16 which are interconnected by means of flexible cables 18. The upper ring 10 and the intermediate ring 12 are similar in size, while the intermediate ring 14 and the lower ring 16 are progressively smaller. The lower ring 16 'has an inner flange 20 having thereon a plurality of spacer brackets 22 on which rests a removable panel 24. This panel 24 has a peripheral flange 26 which is downwardly turned to fit around the outside of the brackets 22 to locate said panel.

The cables 18 as illustrated are of the ball and link type, this construction being particularly suited to the method of assembly. The lower ends of the cables 18 are secured in apertures 28 in the lower ring 16 by means of oversize retainer balls 30, and are locked by means of split pins 32 passed around the cables as shown in Fig. 3. The remainder of the rings are held in position on the cables 18 by means of further split pins 32 fitted on both sides of the rings.

The upper ends of the cables 18 are also fitted with retainer balls 30 and are held in keyhole slots 34 in the lamp holder 36. This lamp holder is of conventional type having attached suspension means and is provided with a suitable lamp 38, which may be of regular in candescent or reflector type according to requirements.

Adjacent the lamp holder 36 is a shield ring 40, similar to but smaller than the rings 10 to 14, said shield ring being supported on the cables 18 which pass through the slots 42 in the ring.

It will be evident that the lamp is shielded from view below'the level of the. upper ring 10 to provide indirect lighting, while the spacing of the rings permits free air circulation for lamp cooling and prevention of dust accumulation. The flexibility of the cables 18 enables the luminaire, in substantially assembled condition, to be collapsed into a compact unit for storage or transportation, while retaining the rings in correct spaced relation when the luminaire is installed. The luminaire shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is particularly suited for manufacture from metal, although the structure is by no means limited to such material.

A modified form of the luminaire suitable for production with rings of plastic or similar material is illustrated in Fig. 4. The lower ring 44 is basically similar to the lower ring 16 previously described, and has an inner flange 46 on which are a plurality of brackets 48. The remainder of the rings 50, 52 and 54-, are similar in size to the lower ring 44 although the arrangement is equally suited to the graduated diameter rings shown in Fig. 1.

The rings are interconnected by means of flexible cables 56 of woven wire or the like, said cables being suspended from an annular support rod 58, which in turn is suspended from the lamp holder 36 by means of support cables 60. The rings 50, 52 and 54, being of plastic, are reinforced by means of peripheral beads 62 on the inner rim of each ring. Attached to these beads 62 are a plurality of spaced resilient clips 64 which are slotted as indicated at 66 to receive the cables 56. The cables are secured by means of cleats 68 which are fastened to the cables on both sides of each clip 64. These cleats 68 are substantially small flanged collars of relatively soft material which are threaded onto the cables and are crimped tightly with a suitable tool when in position as shown in Fig. 5. The lower ends of the cables 56 are passed through apertures 70 in the lower ring 44 and are fastened with further cleats 68.

The lower ring 44 is fitted with a lens 72 carried in a channel ring 74, the flange 76 of which rests on the brackets 48. The lens 72 may be of translucent material, faceted or otherwise treated to diffuse the light so that a certain amount of light is emitted directly downward from the luminaire, the remainder of the light being indirect.

A further form of the luminaire, similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but suitable for manufacture from more rigid material, is illustrated in Fig. 6. The lower ring 78 and the rings 80, 82 and 84 are similar to the rings 44, 50, 52 and 54, respectively,

and are interconnected by means of flexible cables 86. The cables are suspended from the lamp holder 36 and pass directly through the beads 88 on the rings 80, 82 and 84. The cables are secured by cleats 68 fitted on both sides of each head 88, and are passed through apertures 90 in the lower ring 78 and fastenedby further cleats 68. p V

A shield ring 92 is fitted adjacent the lamp holder if desired, said shield ring having slots 94 which fit over the cables 86,

The lower ring 78 is fitted with a cellular or eggcrate type bafile 96 having a flange 98 which rests on the ring in a manner similar to that described above, said bafile being removable for access to the lamp.

It will be evident that the various forms of the luminaire are all easily collapsible and assume their correct disposition when installed. -In each case the lamp is accessible through the lower ring after displacement of the removable panel.

It should be understood that the term ring is used in its broadest sense throughout the disclosure, the shape of the luminaires not necessarily being circular, hexagonal, octagonal and square forms being conceived'as practicable for various uses and to achieve vanious esthetic effects.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

-It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and

that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

A collapsible luminaire assembly for use with a lamp holder and a lamp, a plurality of vertically spaced coaxial horizontal rings, said rings including a plurality of rings of substantially identical shape and size, said rings being generally frusto-conical, and a plurality of flexible cables interconnecting said rings, a plurality of spaced clips'attached to each of said rings, and cleats securing said cables to said clips, an annular support element, said cables beingattac-hed to said support element and said support element having means for suspension from a lamp holder, said cables being flexible throughout the length thereof, and the luminaire being collapsible while completely assembled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Faselt July 13, 

